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March 2002
Volume 2 Number 6

News and Notes
Links
You Can't Make This Stuff Up!
Whatever Happened To?
Reunions

News and Notes

• Most of us remember Ralph Kramden telling his wife "To the moon, Alice!" That is if you are old enough to remember Jackie Gleason and the Honeymooners. Well soon there will be an affordable way to do this thanks to corporate America. The following came from Ken Strafer, class of 1962:

  my Corporation E-Prime Aerospace, is working
  with NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to build a scaled down solid rocket launch vehicle to offer several Universities and High School students a chance to "Explore Space" with a low earth orbit (actually high altitude) mission in mid-October. The launch site may be Wallops Island, Virginia or Kennedy Space Center. The 65-pound student payload will be launched by our LOFT 2A vehicle. This is drawing a lot of attention from the Federal side and needless to say, from the schools
  we are negotiating with at present. There is a $5.00 launch fee for each school to participate; rules say we can't do it for free and oh yes, it does cost a lot more to get the package up there, about $20,000 per pound.

  This is the second in a series of "inspiration programs" conducted by E-Prime Aerospace. E-Prime has offices in Titusville, Florida, Atlanta, and Washington DC. Overseas launch sites are in Brazil and on Ascension Island in the Atlantic Ocean."

• I received the following true story from Jan Bartlett Wood (1973) in reply to a joke I sent to her about police K-9 dogs. She kindly gave permission to share it with all of you. PKD

  Thanks Pat,
  
  I got a good laugh... It also reminded me of a similar incident that actually happened when I was in the Transit P.D. K-9 unit.
  
  My driver that particular day had a dog that would go bonkers if any one came near our (marked) van. The dog that was in a cage in the rear of the van would bark and jump around so much that the van would literally shake and rock back and forth. Well we responded to a call of a disorderly crowd, which turned out to be a demonstration. There were thousands of people and we were in the middle of this craziness. We got out of the van to size up the situation. Suddenly the dog must have sensed all the people and went bonkers. The van shook so violently a lady from the crowd turned to my driver and asked what you got in there pointing to the van. My driver without skipping a beat and with a straight face said Mountain Lion Ma'am.
  
  Well she looked back at the van and ran yelling for everyone to get outta there... them police got MOUNTAIN LIONS!!!! And they'll turnum loose.
  
  Jan

• Dear Pat, Bob & Linda:
  
  Just wanted to make sure you know that I'm living in Florida, altho we're a few hours south of Tampa. At the moment however, we're visiting Tony's brother and sister in New Port Richey. We had gone up to Siesta Key off Sarasota to spend a couple days on the beach with our motor home. Monday, the wind was fierce, but the weather settled down for Tuesday and early Wednesday prior to our leaving. We'll be back on Pine Island (off Fort Myers) Friday as I'm playing in the bell choir at church this weekend.
  A few years back I had attended a Hicksville Reunion with my Mom in the Port St. Lucie area. I walked in the hall and saw no one from my generation. I asked Mom if she remembered how to get back to the motel and then "bellyed up to the bar". That was the only way to tolerate the comments about my Mom's friends remembrances of "changing my diapers", etc.
  
  Always glad to get the Newsletter. Especially since "SOMEONE" dumped ALL my addresses and emails.
  
  Thanks, Clem (Carolyn Baldwin) Moors, Class of '61

• What a pleasant surprise to hear that there is a Hicksville newsletter. A 1962 classmate added me to the list and I'm thrilled to hear there is going to be a reunion in August of this year. I missed the only other reunion in 1987 because my daughter became ill the day before we were leaving to attend.
  

• Please continue to send the "news" and pass on a "Hello" to all my old friends from the class of "62.
  
  Steve Baum, living in Pennsylvania, E-mail: SBaum@voicenet.com
  

• Received the following note from Jeff Rowohlt (1969) who is now living in Australia. His new address is: rowohlt@hotmail.com

  The cyclone was right at the top of our state. If you can imagine 1/3 of the USA (Cal, Ore, Wash, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Col,Utah,Arizona and New Mex) that is the size of the state I live in. We live on the southwest corner (like LA) and the cyclone was near the top of Montana. My daughter works up in the Northwest of the state (where we have a very big iron ore and natural gas industry) and they had been put on cyclone warning. The top half of our state is pretty unpopulated so not a lot of damage occurs. Unfortunately there was a little town (Pardoo) in the way as the cyclone crossed the coast. It was pretty well destroyed. Ironically the cyclone was named Chris and that is the name of my oldest son. He is in Austria snowboarding at the moment. His sister said trust Chris even when he isn't here he is still causing havoc.
  
  That's for the newsletter and keep them coming. I have caught up with a few friends and am still trying to contact others.
  Jeff and Jude

• Jeffrey White, Class of 1973 is busy again. Not only is he starring in "The Sound of Music" but is directing it as well. If anyone is out his way we hope you can stop by and catch a performance.

  The Rock Church of Temecula Valley presents "The Sound of Music", March 7th, 8th & 9th, and March 14th, 15th and 16th. General Admission Tickets are $5.00 and children 3 & under are free. For tickets you can contact (909) 304-1076
  

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Links, by Bob Casale

These links are something I've been working on for awhile. Please enjoy...if there are any questions, ask
Love to You all...Buffalo Bob Casale

• The below link shows a satellite picture of the World Trade Center, Ground Zero - http://coolcat.com/WTC/

• In my yahoo album site below, click on individual albums to view the various pictures.
  Family, HHS 1961, Pets, USS Memorial, Work and World Trade Center are clickable at present...
  http://photos.yahoo.com/buffalobob11801

• The below link is the official, Award Winning website of the USS LIBERTY Veterans Association. Learn about the deliberate attack by Israel against an unarmed United States navy ship sailing in international waters and the subsequent cover-up by our government. Scroll the different areas and get significant information. http://www.ussliberty.org/

  There is a section List of Casualties. We are in the process of creating individual biographical sketches of those killed with pictures of each of our shipmates. You can click on the link below to get there quickly... http://ussliberty.org/casualty.htm

• Below is a site that shipmate Joe Glockner administers and it is about the Navy Security Group...

  http://www.anzwers.org/free/navyscpo/

  Once here, you can scroll down and look at the entire website.... the link below is specifically about the Navy Security Group Activity on Cyprus over the years...

  http://www.anzwers.org/free/navyscpo/cyprus.html

• The below link goes directly to Bob Casale's Cyprus pictures...

  http://www.anzwers.org/free/navyscpo/bob_casale_cyprus_1.html

• The link below goes directly to a story Bob Casale wrote about an experience that occurred during the 1964 Greek & Turkish Cypriot uprising...

  http://www.anzwers.org/free/navyscpo/cyprus_bc_story.doc

  P.S.
  I loaded all the photos from the USS LIBERTY first cruise onto Yahoo. It's great and when you use the slide show feature, it makes for easy viewing with no effort. I will continue to add pictures to that site.

  Warm Regards...bob
  

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You Can't Make This Stuff Up!
By Linda Piccerelli Hayden

In future Newsletters, we would like some feedback from you folks out there on our newest column. I am sure that in this day and age, many of you would have a contribution to this.

• A local towing company advertised with the State Unemployment Bureau for an opening for a tow truck driver. The State called the towing company and said they were sending a man over for an interview. His wife had to drive him to the interview as he had a DUI and lost his license.

• A Voice Menu at a very large corporation had an Employee Directory that only went from M to Z. They said they had nothing for A thru L and the party I needed had a last name that started with a G. The Operator couldn't give me my party's number has she said they had no printed directory.

• Two months ago a customer with an overdue account was called. This was after several Statements went out to him. He said he would get a check out immediately. Well he did, only he faxed it to me. The Bank got a chuckle out of it.

• A friend wanted to buy a Game Boy as a Christmas Present for her Godchild. It was a hot item and she could not obtain it anywhere - everyone was sold out. One Sunday, before Christmas, she read that a local store had them on sale that day. She was first in line before the doors opened. When the store did open she ran to the counter and was told, "Sorry we're sold out"

• American Express sent brochures about obtaining Gift Certificates as Holiday Gifts for customers. They could be obtained at many banks. I picked a bank that was not too far away and went in to pick up several. When I went to pay with my Am Ex Corp. Card, I was told, "We don't accept American Express".
  

Okay folks, lets hear it. Linda

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What Ever Happened To? Pat Koziuk Driscoll

GIESE FLORIST

I remember playing in the fields behind Giese Florist and picking through the discarded flowers behind the greenhouse. My friends and I sold the best ones to passing motorists in front of my house. Recently, I saw a Giese Park on a map of Hicksville and wrote to Joyce Thorburn Jurgensen, 1967. I received a reply from Joyce and wrote to her again after I received the following note from my cousin. Maybe there are more of us who would like to know about Giese Florist.

The other day I was looking back in time, and it occurred to me that Giest florist was the only one I seem to remember. I seems that everybody used them when they needed flowers.

Well, I was wondering if Gieses is still in Hicksville, or did it die out like everything else did? How about asking if anybody knows if it is still there, and who runs it. I know I went to school with Wes Giese.

Tanya Hawrylowicz Radgowski, 1962

Then I heard from Ellen Boos Brewer (1954)

Hi Pat -

Joyce Jurgensen e-mailed your message regarding the Giese Florist. They had sold the business to someone and the last I remember, the florist store was in one of Robert Chevrolet's strip stores. Alton and Wesley Giese owned the florist and I'm assuming the Wes Giese you referred to was one of the sons. The elder Giese guys would be in their late 70's or so. (They are distant cousins of my family). I know Alton's daughter as she is a member of my church and Mr. and Mrs. attend at times. They live out in Southampton or so. Not sure if Wesley is alive. I can't remember whom they sold the business to, but I do remember the gal who bought the business. Hope some of the above helps. Ellen

Yes, the Giese property on Lee Avenue is now a town park with the swings, etc. Large piece of property. I'm not sure if the town of Oyster Bay "bought" the property or Giese gave it - I strongly doubt that the property was "given" to the Town. As far as I know, there isn't a "Giese Florist" in Hicksville. I think the gal that bought the business just closed it. Hope this info helps you. E

So now we know!

PKD

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Reunions

• CLASS OF 1962

  The 40th reunion will be held on August 10, 2002 at the Imperial Manor in Bethpage, beginning at 7 pm.
  Contact: Joe Carfora: jcar4a@core.com or any of the committee members, which were listed in last months newsletter.

  We received the following note and apologize to Sue.

  In the last issue of the newsletter, Sue Mruz was listed with the wrong e-mail address. The correct address is
  suemruz@yahoo.com

  This is in regards to the Class of '62 Reunion.

  Thanks,
  Bob Dierker 1962

• CLASS OF 1957
  
  Plans are underway for a late October 45th Reunion. Contact: Phil Fulco: pfulco@optonline.net who sent the following note;

  Hi All,

  Well, it looks like the reunion is rolling along. As most of you know, I've put out an invitation to all the folks registered on Classmates.com. Some have responded and I'm sure we'll hear from more. I'm also going to send out by regular mail an invitation to those whose address I have.

  Pat, I'm asking you to put something in the newsletter again. We especially need a couple of people who are still on L.I. to help with arrangements.

  For those who are close by, how about getting in touch with me and let's plan to get together soon. A couple of hours in person together and I think we can get a little better organized. We could meet on the Island somewhere. How about exchanging phone numbers where we can contact each other. If anyone is available during the day, I can call from my office. I also have a toll free number you can use to get me. It's 1-800-286-5000. If you wait for the operator, just ask for extension 3486 in Berlin (CT). Or you can follow the menu and push 2, then the tie-line number 701 and extension 3486. I'm in the office from around 7 till 3 or so.
  Tuesday, I'll be in New Hampshire all day.

  What do you guys think about having the party on a Saturday night at a hotel and making arrangements for the out-of-towners to maybe get a deal on rooms? Then we could see about a brunch before we head home on Sunday. I'd suggest a buffet with a cocktail hour first and cash bar. A D.J. for music would probably be sufficient. Any other ideas?

  Hope to talk to a couple of you soon. We'll keep the rest informed as plans develop.
  
  Phil

• FLORIDA

  Kathy (Cookie Koziuk) Hannaman, class of 1960 has stepped forward to co-chair the Florida reunion committee. (Since she is my sister, I guess that makes me the other chairperson-PKD) She is doing the groundwork to locate a suitable place to get together. Saturday, October 12th has been suggested. It is the start of a three-day weekend. Suggestions are welcome. Contact Cookie at: s.snooker@verizon.net or Pat at: grandmag@atlantic.net.
  
  We really do need to know just how many people would be interested, so please drop us a note ASAP.

• CLASS OF 1956

  Thanks to Jack DeVaul, Arline Barna and John Sherin for identifying the people in the photos of the 45th reunion. Jack also sent a collage of photos from the 40th reunion in 1996. You can view them at:
  http://photos.yahoo.com/grandmagadget
  
  There are pictures from the 1956 yearbook in the Class of 1956 Album so you can see the people as they were then and now.
  
  PKD
  

Pat Koziuk '56
Linda Piccerelli '60
Bob Casale '61

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